NOADA Foundation: Community Impact in Northeast Ohio
Northeast Ohio’s franchised dealers do far more than sell and service vehicles. They employ thousands of our neighbors, sponsor the youth teams, fund the scholarships, and answer when the community needs help. The NOADA Foundation is how member dealers turn that instinct into lasting, coordinated impact - investing in scholarships, the automotive workforce pipeline, and charitable causes across Akron, Summit County, and the wider Northeast Ohio region. This page tells the story of how NOADA dealers give back, and how students, schools, and nonprofits can connect with us.
Giving back is not a marketing program for our members. It is the through-line of an association founded in 1927 and still rooted in the same communities.
How the Foundation makes an impact
The NOADA Foundation focuses its work where dealers are uniquely positioned to help, the people and skills that keep cars, families, and the local economy moving. Its work centers on a few areas:
- Support for students pursuing automotive technology, business, and related fields.
- The workforce pipeline, helping connect students, schools, and dealerships so training leads to jobs.
- Community giving to Northeast Ohio nonprofits and causes.
- Youth and education support for local school programs and activities.
To learn how to support this work or how it can help you, contact NOADA at (330) 272-9011 or tim@neodealers.com.
Investing in students
The most direct way the Foundation gives back is by helping local students afford the education that launches a career, many of them in the very industry our members run. That means supporting students entering technician and service programs at Northeast Ohio community colleges and technical schools, and students pursuing business and management paths into retail automotive.
Students and counselors: to ask how the Foundation can help and what opportunities are open, email tim@neodealers.com or call (330) 272-9011.
The workforce pipeline: solving the technician shortage
Northeast Ohio - like every market in the country - faces a serious shortage of qualified service technicians. Every NOADA dealer feels it in their shop. The Foundation treats this as a community problem, not just a business one, and invests in the pipeline:
- Partnerships with technical and community colleges to align training with what modern dealerships actually need (EV/hybrid systems, advanced diagnostics, ADAS).
- Equipment and tool grants so classrooms reflect today’s vehicles.
- Apprenticeships, internships, and job-shadow days that connect students directly with member dealerships.
- Instructor support and recognition to keep great teachers in the classroom.
This work ties directly into NOADA’s NextGen leadership program and our broader Education offerings - building the next generation of technicians and dealer leaders.
Community giving: showing up locally
Beyond formal programs, NOADA members give where they live. Collectively, member dealers support food banks, youth sports, veterans’ causes, health-care foundations, schools, and emergency relief across Summit County and Northeast Ohio. The Foundation amplifies that generosity by:
- Pooling member contributions for greater impact.
- Spotlighting member dealers’ local philanthropy (see Member Spotlight and our Awards program).
- Coordinating regional response when crisis hits.
This is the lived reality behind the franchise system: locally owned dealers are anchored, accountable neighbors with a long-term stake in the community’s health.
Giving back since 1927
Giving back is the through-line of an association rooted in the same Northeast Ohio communities since 1927. The Foundation pools member generosity so that local dollars do more, going to students, schools, and neighbors across the region. To learn how the Foundation can help, or how you can support it, contact NOADA.
How to get involved
Students: reach out to learn how the Foundation can help. Educators: reach out about workforce partnerships and student placement. Member dealers: contribute to the Foundation, host an apprentice, or nominate a cause. The public and businesses: give or sponsor a program.
- Give or sponsor: contact the NOADA office at (330) 272-9011 or via the Contact page.
- Partner on workforce programs: reach our Education team.
- Members: add Foundation giving through your membership renewal or the portal.
FAQs
What is the NOADA Foundation? It is the charitable side of the Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, supporting students in automotive careers, workforce programs, and community giving across the region.
Who can the Foundation help? It focuses on Northeast Ohio students pursuing automotive technology, dealership careers, or related fields. To ask what is available, contact the NOADA office at (330) 272-9011 or tim@neodealers.com.
How does the Foundation help with the technician shortage? Through partnerships with technical and community colleges, support for classrooms, and apprenticeship and internship pathways that connect students with member dealerships.
How can I give? Contact the NOADA office at (330) 272-9011 or tim@neodealers.com to discuss a gift and ask any questions about your contribution.
How do I know my giving stays local? The Foundation’s mission is Northeast Ohio. Support goes to local students, schools, and nonprofits.
Can my dealership get recognized for community service? Yes - member philanthropy is celebrated through our Awards and Member Spotlight programs.
Related
- Foundation home
- NOADA Awards & TIME Dealer of the Year
- NextGen
- Education
- Economic Impact of dealers
- Member Spotlight
- Membership and Join NOADA
- Find a Dealer
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Help us invest in Northeast Ohio’s future. Give or partner with the NOADA Foundation, reach out to learn how it can help, or find a member dealer who gives back where you live.